Structured interview question

[varcoe88]

Hi all. I've recently applied for a trainee driver position with first. I feel confident enough with the psychometric tests but one question on the structured interview really leaves me stumped..have you ever been on a training course lasting two weeks or longer? Due to the nature of work I've been involved in in the past I've not. What sort of answer might be acceptable? Thanks in advance.

 

[TDK]

Hi all. I've recently applied for a trainee driver position with first. I feel confident enough with the psychometric tests but one question on the structured interview really leaves me stumped..have you ever been on a training course lasting two weeks or longer? Due to the nature of work I've been involved in in the past I've not. What sort of answer might be acceptable? Thanks in advance.

Sorry fella but you will need to work that out for yourself. However do you drive a car? Did your lessons last more than 2 weeks? This a weak answer but if you nothing else you will obviously need to answer the question

 

[reapz]

Hi all. I've recently applied for a trainee driver position with first. I feel confident enough with the psychometric tests but one question on the structured interview really leaves me stumped..have you ever been on a training course lasting two weeks or longer? Due to the nature of work I've been involved in in the past I've not. What sort of answer might be acceptable? Thanks in advance.

You can use any "training course" if i were you i would go and Pay to sit a 2 weeks course on health and safety it will be boring but you will be able to answer really well.

http://www.reedlearning.com/trainin...h-and-safety?gclid=CKD7w4T077YCFfLKtAodi3IAzw

There is loads you dont even have to be intrested as its just one hurdle of a long marathon to get a driving job .

It will cost a bit but you could own the question in the si and they will be impressed that u paid to go on a course just so u could answer that question also health and safety + railway ticks all the boxes.

Or go into driving the correct way from another railway job like guard or platform.

Everyone wants to be a driver, learn to walk before running

 

[tone]

I believe the question asks about a training course OR a goal you have achieved.

 

[BulldogBurt]

You can use any "training course" if i were you i would go and Pay to sit a 2 weeks course on health and safety it will be boring but you will be able to answer really well.

http://www.reedlearning.com/trainin...h-and-safety?gclid=CKD7w4T077YCFfLKtAodi3IAzw

There is loads you dont even have to be intrested as its just one hurdle of a long marathon to get a driving job .

It will cost a bit but you could own the question in the si and they will be impressed that u paid to go on a course just so u could answer that question also health and safety + railway ticks all the boxes.

Or go into driving the correct way from another railway job like guard or platform.

Everyone wants to be a driver, learn to walk before running

Ok I'll bite...

Why would I need to work on an unrelated job on the railway to become a driver? Why stop at guard/platform work, would cleaner or office staff suffice?
I worked in the printing industry for years and started as a printer (the highest paid grade) via an apprenticeship and at no point would being a print finisher or reprographics operator have made me a better printer, so why would this be any different?

 

[TDK]

Ok I'll bite...

Why would I need to work on an unrelated job on the railway to become a driver? Why stop at guard/platform work, would cleaner or office staff suffice?
I worked in the printing industry for years and started as a printer (the highest paid grade) via an apprenticeship and at no point would being a print finisher or reprographics operator have made me a better printer, so why would this be any different?

Maybe because you will stand a much higher chance of reaching your goal if you have railway experience and the jobs described in the answer to you will give the criteria you are lacking!

 

[W230]

What sort of answer might be acceptable? Thanks in advance.

As another post suggests, if you prefer you can answer the question that asks if you have ever achieved a goal - I'm sure you can think up something for that!

I imagine what they're wanting to know is whether you've shown commitment to something/wanted to achieve something and seen it through. Tis obviously links to how the driver training course would be...

 

[BulldogBurt]

It wasn't the criteria comment I was questioning though, it was the rather disparaging 'everyone wants to be a driver, learn to walk before you can run' comment I was referring to. I'm aware staff on the railway probably have an advantage but wasn't aware there was a 'correct' way to become a driver as stated by reapz.
It wasn't me who posed the original question, I did the SI with FTPE last week and felt I had ample experiences to call on, although I haven't passed it yet so whether they are good enough remains to be seen!

 

[TDK]

It wasn't me who posed the original question, I did the SI with FTPE last week and felt I had ample experiences to call on, although I haven't passed it yet so whether they are good enough remains to be seen!

Sorry Bulldog - my mistake Good luck by the way

 

[BulldogBurt]

Sorry Bulldog - my mistake Good luck by the way

Thank you, and thanks for the advice on here by the way. I've read the thread about testing with interest and can say the only piece of advice which really helped (or was needed) was to relax and not panic when doing the assessments.

 

[sidekick]

Also to the OP, it would be wise to have more than 1 example prepared for all the questions. Some questions I only got asked 1 (e.g. training course; got a 4 year Masters Degree in Engineering) - some questions delved deep into my 3rd example. I think it really depends on your examples!

 

[SilentChill]

It was fairly straight forward for myself as Railway examples were used for all my questions, its work I do everyday.

I answered all the questions and over complicated a few, I think the assessor was getting a bit lost with all the terminology I was using.

You have to be truthful because they will catch you out if your lying.


And at the end of the day "How did you feel about that ?"

 

[varcoe88]

I think I may have worded my original post wrong. Perhaps a better question would have been are there any solutions to answer this question well.

Certainly a training course would be a good idea as it shows commitment not only to passing training courses but also to securing the job I am applying for. However with the costs of some of these courses it is probably not a feasible option for me.

I do drive and my lessons spanned over 3 months however after doing a bit of research first I knew this would be a rather weak answer. Although could it be enough to pass?

I've certainly got a few answers I could use for achieving a goal. Perhaps this may be the best option for me.

Thanks for the advice and options!

 

[paulgreen32]

Ok I'll bite...

Why would I need to work on an unrelated job on the railway to become a driver? Why stop at guard/platform work, would cleaner or office staff suffice?
I worked in the printing industry for years and started as a printer (the highest paid grade) via an apprenticeship and at no point would being a print finisher or reprographics operator have made me a better printer, so why would this be any different?

I think the point is if you undertake safety critical work on the platforms or on board you give your potential employer a proven track record in something they understand.

p.s Im sure you have spent a bit of time in the finishing department ! you understand the importance of the correct lay edges and back trimming work and tumble sections, or the importance of repro ensuring plates are made within dot gain standards.

sorry sixteen years in print and now on the rails hoping to make a paper sift for promotion.

 

[reapz]

Ok I'll bite...

Why would I need to work on an unrelated job on the railway to become a driver? Why stop at guard/platform work, would cleaner or office staff suffice?
I worked in the printing industry for years and started as a printer (the highest paid grade) via an apprenticeship and at no point would being a print finisher or reprographics operator have made me a better printer, so why would this be any different?

Hi i did not mean any offence but if u lack experience to answer the question then getting a job on the railway other than driver is a great way to start .

 

[BulldogBurt]

Hi i did not mean any offence but if u lack experience to answer the question then getting a job on the railway other than driver is a great way to start .

No offence taken and sorry if my reply seemed a little touchy of course it's great advice if you have little relevant experience, although I think most of us have life/work experiences which with a little creative thinking can fit those needed for the SI interviews.

Paul - of course I understood the importance of those other roles in printing and I made it my business to understand them as well as possible to aid my printing competency, and hopefully if I make it into driving, I fully intend to do the same with the related conductor/platform jobs. It did amaze me how many printers were ignorant of repro/finishing whereas I could lay a job from film (old fashioned I know!) and was a fairly competent finisher but this was done off my own back at various places where I worked.

 

[paulgreen32]

To be fair buldog burt printing is more like a ten year training course but as its viewed as a press setting job it doesnt get the respect it deserves. There are some points to the job though that seem relevent to most train driving aplications though, long hours concentrating on a repetitive task, electrical and mechanical fault finding etc

If theres one thing that my years in the trade showed me its that printers can turn there hand to most things and do it well.

good luck in the future

paul

 

[BulldogBurt]

To be fair buldog burt printing is more like a ten year training course but as its viewed as a press setting job it doesnt get the respect it deserves. There are some points to the job though that seem relevent to most train driving aplications though, long hours concentrating on a repetitive task, electrical and mechanical fault finding etc

If theres one thing that my years in the trade showed me its that printers can turn there hand to most things and do it well.

good luck in the future

paul

Thanks very much, likewise with the promotion.